Think Global, Act Local

Among PMI-Montréal’s strategic axes, ensuring PMI-Montréal leadership position within PMI Global as well as with other chapters is a priority going forward, and has led us to create several new partnerships and initiatives.

The third strategic axis is to bring the chapter closer to the global headquarters, with the goal of becoming a model for other chapters. By inspiring the best of ourselves to create change and motivate the next generation of skilled project managers, we are harnessing the energy of community to make the world a better place together.

Inspiring our members to think global and act local is at the heart of this strategic goal and will increase the chapter’s visibility worldwide. These first initiatives are centered on the activities of students interested in careers in project management. Inspired by their expressed need to gain experience and make a difference in their local communities, PMI-Montreal has created opportunities to apply their knowledge.

Partnership with PMI EF

At the end of 2018, PMI-Montréal signed on as a partner with PMI Education Foundation, the foundation branch of PMI whose mission is to be a force in the world for changing lives and communities through project management education. We are reminded that project managers as agents of change is not just something we say, but the action we take.

By partnering with PMI EF, the chapter is now in direct contact with the global community of chapters working to provide youth with project management education and experience with their local non-profits. Our liaison volunteer, Liliane Vandal, provides the global group with updates on our social projects and coordinates resources for the volunteers in Montreal. Feedback has already been incredibly positive, with chapters like Toronto and Kenya asking for more information in order to emulate our model.

Putting goals into action

To activate our partnership with PMI EF, PMI-Montreal created a new group: the social project Collective. Launched in December 2018, the Social Project Collective (Le Collectif -projets sociaux) is comprised of students from Québec universities and CEGEPS with a shared interest in project management. Their mission is to create sustainable social impacts through help and education in project management. They are supported by PMI-Montréal mentors who contribute their expertise to help the group grow and succeed.

Two projects have been planned and are currently being executed by the Collective this spring.

The first is with PMI-Montréal partner SUCO. As part of their annual fundraising campaign, SUCO is participating in the Scotia Bank annual 21K and 5K run on April 27th and 28th, 2019. The Collective is responsible for the communications project and supporting the ongoing notoriety of this event. Fundraising will support climate change projects in the countries where SUCO is present, namely Senegal, Haiti, Burkina Faso and Peru. Support the Collective team by running with us our making a donation.

The second project is in aid of Ali et Les Princes et Princesses de la Rue, a gym in St-Michel that combines education and sport for at-risk youth. The Collective is currently working on a project to help the organisation diversify their sources of fundraising by launching a crowdfunding platform. Stay tuned for more about this exciting project and join Ali Nestor at their upcoming event on May 30th at the MTelus – Les 12 Rounds D’Espoir.

Do you have a project or organisation to suggest? Get in touch! communications@pmimontreal.org

The work being done by the Collective is an important experience that PMI-Montreal can share with other chapters at upcoming Region 3 events and Leadership Institute Meeting. Finding ways to inspire students and young professionals to get involved is a key issue for many chapters and PMI-Montreal is successfully harnessing the feedback received from the Collective to build a comprehension retention program for the next generation of members.

PMI 50th Anniversary and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

As part of PMI Global’s 50th anniversary celebrations taking place this year, PMI has partnered with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to pledge volunteer hours towards the realisation of 17 goals to build a better world for people an our planet by 2030.

The Collective, students and mentors, will be pledging their hours towards the UN SDG goals.

The importance of using project management skills and expertise for creating social change is not just a PMI-Montréal goal, but a global one. If you volunteer as a project manager, consider logging in and contribute your hours to the UN SDG pledge of 50 000 hrs of project management volunteering in 2019. www.pmi.org

Increasing engagement on a global level and creating local initiatives that inspire other chapters is key to realizing this third axe of our strategic plans. As the fourth largest chapter in the world, it is important that we be leaders in positioning Quebec project management at the top. Using project management to make the world a better place is a mission we should all be contributing to and will support the next generation with skills they can use to turn their ideas in reality.